(12 February 3050)

There’s mild irony if you dig out chunks o’ the word “Maskirovka.” In a State where the high ‘n mighty at the top demand a cultish reverence for all things Chinese, that the secret police ensurin’ foreheads are kissing ground when ever a Liao walks by is named after a Russian word…. Wonder how many Chancellors chewed their tongues bloody wishing they could go back in time and change that, um, “cultural” misstep…bet you twenty Lyra to a C-bill ol’ Max did…every other night.

But gents, seriously, despite poking fun here, the Maskirovka are no laughin’ matter. Read last month Sian University is all in an uproar over teacher’ arrest over “sedition against the state.”

I boggled. That’s right…I looked the word up, gents…boggled. Not that some tweed-jacket-wearing pencil pusher was dragged out of his bed at 3AM and likely will never put eyeballs on a sun again. No…boggled these students, especially at the Sian University, would find this sorta thing gettin’ their undies all bunched up.

Par for the course, gents. Par…for…the…course. You live in a police State, you best expect that police State to come a knocking…well, any time.

And that’s doubly true if you’re a merc that takes that contract. Sure, there’s time ‘ol Capella is desperate enough to offer what feels like pretty sweet contract terms. I’ve even dealt with mercs that slip in and out of the green curtain none worse for the ware. But if there’s one place that’s got potential to be worse than dealing with pirates in the deep…it’s House Liao. They may not cut themselves for lookin’ atch like the snakes…but they’re still lookin’ down their nose like you’re a bug…and if you catch their attention, they might just send over some Russian exterminators.

You been warned.

Keep it locked and loaded, gents.

—Jacob Hardenson, MercNet